But increasingly, the public is demanding a more thorough response to the pandemic, incorporating other critical measures. Over the past weeks, one measure in particular has become front-page news: ventilation.

“Vaccination is vital,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH. “But for reopening to succeed, we must support it with other measures. Now that there is consensus that SARS-Cov-2 is airborne, why aren’t we doing more to address ventilation? This is particularly important in buildings such as schools, nursing homes, offices, shopping centres, cafés and restaurants.”

Gleeson says the situation is urgent, because although in some cases the solution is as simple as opening a window, other changes will take time.

“We know now that we should have invested earlier in dedicated quarantine facilities,” says Gleeson. “By the time that decision was made, we were already suffering the consequences. Let’s not make the same mistake again. The moment to act on ventilation is now.”

There seems to be widespread support from industry and the public for improving building ventilation. There is less clarity, however, about exactly what these improvements will be.